GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- A delivery of fuel arrived in Gaza on Wednesday at the Kerem Shalom crossing on the Israeli border, a Palestinian official said.

Liaison officer Raed Fattouh said he expected around 400,000 liters of fuel to be delivered on Wednesday, adding that the terminal was equipped to receive double that amount.

The delivery follows a deal announced Tuesday between the Hamas-led government in Gaza and the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority to end the power crisis in the coastal enclave.

Gaza government spokesman Taher al-Nunu said the power authority had transferred 2 million shekels ($537,000) to the PA to pay for the fuel, purchased from Israel.

PA spokesman Ghassan al-Khatib confirmed receipt of the payment and said the PA would arrange delivery of 415,000 liters of fuel across the Israeli border.

Al-Khatib said daily deliveries of fuel would continue as long as the Gaza power authority continued to send payment.

It is hoped the interim deal, which allows Hamas to buy fuel from Israel through PA intermediaries, will ease the power crisis which has plagued the Gaza Strip since February.

Residents of Gaza have suffered daily power cuts of up to 18 hours since Egypt unexpectedly cut off the enclave's fuel supply through cross-border tunnels in February.

Hamas blamed Egypt, Israel and the PA for the shortages, which shut down the sole power plant in Gaza City four times.

Hamas was initially reluctant to purchase fuel from Israel, citing concerns over allowing Israel control over Gaza's power supply.

Palestinian officials met in Cairo last week and announced Thursday that Egypt will supply gas to Gaza via the Rafah crossing.The deal will require a network of pipes to be laid down, and the power plant will need to be converted to run on gas.

1 ) shirley / australia

04/04/2012 12:52

this is garbage and puts gaza back under isreali control egypt and the PA are to blame for thgis where is respect for egypt revolution and the yrs of stuggle gaza to be free Isreal clutches the Iunta in egypta bunch of Zionist US stooges the gas deal will probably not go through and gaza back to isreali whims even Mubarak turned blind eye to fuel smuggling gave gaza certain amount of independancecould survive without isreal always backwards because of PA palestinains will alwaqys live in occupx

2 ) southparkbear / usa

04/04/2012 14:55

hehehe, shirley i love you

3 ) Power / Crisis

04/04/2012 15:25

Gazans under Hamas should leadership refuse to use fossil fuel like oil and gas because of the greenhouse effect threatening Earth with global warming. Go green Gaza.

4 ) EE / UK

04/04/2012 16:09

Shirley #1 - very funny comment.

5 ) Forcing Us / Towards Peace

04/04/2012 16:39

It is far worse to have fuel, lights, & continuing the Conflict with Israel, than It would be to have continued Darkness, Forcing Us Towards Peace !!!

6 ) Brian Cohen / Israel

04/04/2012 16:47

Shirley - the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt are Zionist US stooges?
Or do you mean the Egyptian army generals?
Bottom line is that Israel has nothing to do with the blockade of the Egypt-Gaza border.
The Palestinians need to return to the negotiating table without preconditions. If they give up their silly dream of getting rid of Israel, sit down and seriously negotiate, then we Israelis will agree to a peace treaty.
Remember, Shirley. Hamas does not want peace with Israel and supports war.

7 ) NHN / GER

04/04/2012 17:29

@ 1 / this is the reality of what you write, is correct. But if Egypt's Brotherhood gets the presidency, which will make the junta lose control of the Egyptians.(The Zionists and the U.S. will get kicked from political interference in Egypt.)
Then the Palestinians will benefit, the large Loser will be the Zionist skimming's.

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